It is well known that wind power turbines can generate power that can be delivered via interconnection to existing grid systems or can be used to power individual homes, businesses and utilities. Most, if not all, wind power systems that are used to gather large amounts, in the Megawatt range of power, are large structure wind turbines many of which are at least 100 feet high. In the past, small wind powered turbines have also been placed high up from the ground usually at least 15 feet high. Also, most small wind power turbine systems are utilized to power a single home, business, or elements of that home or business.
Currently, large wind installations in order of 100 foot or greater sized turbines dot the landscape of the planet. These turbines are often positioned in remote fields, out to sea, or on private property away from public infrastructure. Small wind installations of turbines and other gathering devices in the 5 to 30 foot range are typically utilized in three deployments. The first deployment features clusters of small to mid sized turbines set up in remote windy areas such as the desert environment near Palm Desert, Calif. The second deployment features isolated powering of small homes and businesses, such as those in remote arctic or other extremely cold climates where heating and cooling infrastructure do not exist, or is augmented at the micro use level for one home or business by small wind turbine implementation. The third deployment model features isolated powering of entities for government utilities, such as the isolated powering of single light stands at the Hanauma Bay National Park public parking lot in Oahu, Hi.
Conventional models address power plant and isolated use models for the generation and distribution of wind power. Large turbines generate Megawatt volumes of power to be utilized locally or interconnected back to the grid system. Small wind generation systems are typically used to solve local power issues, such as street lights or home or business power needs. Small wind generation systems can also be interconnected to a grid system for the purpose of selling the power generated.
Unfortunately, the existing conventional uses have certain limitations in distribution and deployment. Large turbines have faced environmental and Defense Department concerns. Environmentalists fear that the noise and size of turbines will disrupt both scenic and habitat conditions in addition to threatening the well being of birds that may be caught in the large turbine blades. Department of Defense concerns have been raised over the large turbines interfering with radar signals and tracking. Large turbine systems that are placed far away from existing infrastructure also incur a large expense in the transportation or building of infrastructure to carry the power generated by the turbine system. Finally, the large turbine system represents a major, volatile investment for a single turbine; if the wind is not present or wind currents change then the turbine would be viewed as a poor investment because it will not generate enough power to be profitable. Also, if the turbine breaks for any reason it will produce zero power as it is a large and single entity. Large turbines also require labor intensive maintenance and monitoring. The life cycle for large wind turbines is 20 years and decommissioning the large wind turbine is another environmental issue to contend with.
Small wind power utilized in isolated areas and for private homes, businesses and individual use is a great way to introduce clean energy on a unit by unit grass roots level.
The issue with isolated uses which the present invention addresses is that isolated uses are isolated by definition. Isolated uses do not have the ability to directly power businesses or residential sites over a long stretch of land covering tens, hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of miles providing easy access to direct powering of entities as well as multiple grid interconnection points. Small turbines would be an efficient use of space and cost to gather clean energy. The problem is that individual implementation would be tedious and extremely challenging as the turbines get smaller, especially for turbines that are under one inch in either horizontal or vertical measurement. Another limitation is that the sheeting itself would not promote any energy gathering activity on its surface.